Feb. 27, 2003

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - Behind a game-high 20 points from senior All-America candidate Constance Jinks (Chicago, Ill.), the UNLV women's basketball team handed conference rival New Mexico a 23-point blowout, 68-45, Thursday night at Cox Pavilion.

With the Mountain West Conference race winding down, the Lady Rebels broke out to a 16-2 run in the first 10 minutes of play and never trailed the entire ballgame to ensure the crucial league victory. The defensive pressure that led UNLV to a 33-17 output at halftime, didn't stop in the second half.

UNLV forced 16 turnovers and held UNM to 0-of-16 shooting from the three-point line. In their last matchup on Feb. 1 in Albuquerque, the Lobos were able to drain eight three-pointers to take a 65-60 win over the Lady Rebels at the Pit.

Sophomore Sherry McCracklin (Hazel Crest, Ill.) registered her sixth career double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman reserve Sheena Moore (Lansing, Mich.) added nine. With 11:27 remaining, Jinks pushed the lead out to 22 points after converting a rare four-point play on a foul by UNM's Tiffany Scaglione.

The Lady Rebels remain undefeated at home versus New Mexico (16-8, 6-5) in MWC play. UNLV shot an improved 46 percent from the field (26-of-56) to snap a two-game losing skid. New Mexico's Chelsea Greer led the Lobos in scoring with 11 points.

UNLV (15-9, 6-5) will conclude its regular season home slate on Saturday, March 1 hosting Air Force (7-17, 1-10) at 2 p.m. Join the Lady Rebels for "Senior Day" festivities prior to tip-off at Cox Pavilion.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: UNLV women's basketball coach Regina Miller along with Lady Rebels Casey Homan, Julia Gray, Nikki Hitchens, Amy Loftus and RanDee Henry will participate in the upcoming Nevada Reading Week sponsored by the State Department of Education on March 3-7. Numerous UNLV student-athletes annually take part in the event with speaking engagements at local elementary schools throughout Clark County.